Pablo Couñago celebrated his return to Portman Road with two first half goals as Town impressively defeated Panathinaikos 2-0. However, the shine was taken off the performance and result by Gavin Williams sustaining what looked like a serious ankle injury late in the game.
On a sweltering afternoon, the Blues lined-up as expected with Neil Alexander making his first appearance for Town at Portman Road. Dan Harding was on the left of the defence, David Wright on the right with Jason De Vos and Alex Bruce at the centre. In midfield, Williams started on the left, Jon Walters on the right and Owen Garvan and Tommy Miller in the middle. Couñago and Alan Lee started up front.
Walters saw the game's first serious shot saved by Panathinaikos keeper Arkadiusz Malarz in the fifth minute. From the resultant corner, the ball broke to Couñago inside the area. The Spanish striker worked himself space for a shot and sent the ball into the corner of the net for his first goal of pre-season.
There was a scare for the Blues soon after when a Georgios Karagounis freekick avoided everyone in a crowded penalty area, Jason De Vos forcing the ball out of play at the far post.
Alexander saved well at one end before a superb Jon Walters pass sent Alan Lee away one-on-one with Malarz. The Irish striker ought to have scored but the Panathinaikos keeper pawed away his chip.
Lee had the ball in the net in the 19th minute but Premiership referee Peter Walton had blown his whistle for a foul on the keeper.
Town were enjoying much the better of the game and Gavin Williams came close to scoring on 22 after Lee had flicked on a David Wright cross. Malarz saved the Welshman's strike.
Malarz stopped Tommy Miller's 20-yard effort on 27, prior to Panathinaikos coming close to getting on terms in bizarre circumstances. Alexander and the Town defence all left a Karagounis corner, the ball scraping the post and flashing along the goal-line from where Dan Harding cleared.
The Blues immediately added to their lead. Couñago won the ball from a hesitant defender just inside the Panathinaikos half and calmly took it on towards goal before confidently slipping it past Malarz for his second of the game.
Town were well worth their lead at the break, despite a lengthy spell of possession from the Greek side early on. Aside from that spell, it had been largely Town and a bigger lead wouldn't have flattered Jim Magilton's side.
Danny Haynes took over from Jon Walters on the right for the second half, the former Chester man not having made too much of an impression in midfield apart from the pass which sent Lee through on goal.
The second period was a less cohesive affair with the inevitable substitutions stopping the game's flow. Chances were rare, although Alexander did well to stop a Panathinaikos freekick on 57.
Town put together the move of the match a minute later, Gavin Williams, Tommy Miller and Pablo Couñago working a shooting chance for Danny Haynes, a deflection sending the ball narrowly wide.
Couñago and Garvan made way for Billy Clarke and Sylvain Legwinski, before Gavin Williams collapsed to the immaculate Portman Road turf unchallenged, grabbing his ankle, clearly in a great deal of pain. After several minutes' treatment on the pitch, the Welshman, only just back after a pelvic problem, was taken off on a stretcher and looks likely to be out of action for some while.
Williams, Miller and De Vos were replaced by Jaime Peters, George O'Callaghan and Fabian Wilnis as the game entered its final 15 minutes.
Billy Clarke went close twice in the closing stages, then both Legwinski and Lee narrowly missed heading a Dan Harding corner into the net.
Overall, a thoroughly encouraging display from the Blues, who were on top for the vast majority of the game. Couñago took his goals confidently and linked well with Lee and Miller in particular.
At the back, there were a couple of moments of panic but Neil Alexander's goal was rarely under serious threat. The Scottish keeper made a few decent saves and distributed the ball impressively.
While it's difficult to tell too much from friendly games, the season of struggle predicted by some appears unlikely on the evidence of this performance.
Town: Alexander, Wright, Harding, De Vos (Wilnis 75), Bruce, Garvan (Legwinski 63), Walters (Haynes 46), Miller (O'Callaghan 75), Couñago (Clarke 63), Lee, Williams (Peters 75). Unused: Supple. Att: 8,165.
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